Broken Protections: Recently passed Kansas legislature banning gender-affirming care mirrors the executive order signed by President Donald Trump

The Kansas Legislature passed a bill banning gender-affirming care on Feb. 18. This bill mirrors the executive order, currently going through the federal courts, titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” signed by President Donald Trump on Jan. 28.

This bill states that in Kansas it’s illegal for anyone under 18 to receive gender-affirming care. Doctors could be sued for performing any gender-affirming treatments like hormones, puberty blockers or surgeries, according to Taryn Jones, policy director of Equality Kansas, a statewide advocacy organization.

Governor Laura Kelly initially vetoed the bill, but her veto was overridden by Republican senators and representatives who now have a supermajority in both houses. Kansas is one of 27 states that have proposed a bill like this. The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding a similar bill in Tennessee last December and the court ruling will be released this summer. Legal experts believe that the court is most likely to uphold the ban in Tennessee, increasing the chances it will be upheld in other states, according to AP News.

Michael Yi | The Harbinger Online

Erin Woods, founder of Six Degrees of Activism, a newsletter advocating for Kansas schools, opposes the bill and federal order and believes that parents should be able to get care for their children.

“Each [piece of legislation passed] is just a step towards devaluing an important group of people,” Woods said. “Everyone deserves respect and deserves to live an authentic life and it just feels like we are focusing on this really small, vulnerable community. I just have a hard time understanding why.”

However, Heritage Foundation representative Jay Richards gave testimony in Kansas in support of the bill.

“There’s no reliable scientific evidence that these treatments improve the long-term health of these minors, let alone that the benefits outweigh the many risks,” Richards said in his testimony.

At the federal level, the order states that any organization providing gender-affirming care to those under 19 will have federal funding withdrawn. Kansas defines minors as under 18, while the federal government defines minors under 19, meaning the policies have different age limitations.

“It doesn't outright ban gender-affirming care, it just restricts any federal funds from being used for gender-affirming care,” Jones said.

This includes both federally funded healthcare organizations as well as insurance programs like Medicaid and TRICARE.

On Feb. 13 and 14, two federal courts issued a temporary injunction on the order, meaning the government cannot enforce it for at least 14 days, or more if extended by the courts. This injunction was on section 4 of the order — the section that takes away federal funding — on the grounds that it’s unconstitutional.

Jones also mentioned that without the federal order, a Kansas minor seeking care could travel to another state. But, if the order goes through the federal courts and is upheld, this no longer would be possible.

For the time being, medical providers can continue to give gender-affirming care. The results of the executive order will be determined by the Supreme Court. However, this doesn’t change Kansas’s laws — the statewide ban still applies for those under 18.

Similarly, an executive order, titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," was signed on Feb. 5 preventing transgender females from participating in women’s athletics and entering women’s bathrooms or locker rooms. This order mirrors the legislation put in place in 2023 in Kansas, according to the Kansas High School Activities Association executive director Bill Faflick.

“The impact is really negligible because state law followed by [KSHSAA] already directs the action included in the executive order,” Faflick said.

Another order he signed, entitled “Defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government” defines “sex” as the gender assigned at birth and does not include gender ideology. This changes the interpretation of Title IX, reinforcing the prior executive order.

A disclaimer has been added to the top of Title IX stating it should be read according to the executive order where all references to gender are changed to sex.

“It just puts a target on their backs for all sorts of things and I just feel like it must be hard to feel safe in that community right now as each and every executive order or new law goes into place,” Woods said.

9 responses to “Broken Protections: Recently passed Kansas legislature banning gender-affirming care mirrors the executive order signed by President Donald Trump”

  1. Anonymous says:

    I never thought getting a loan could be this easy.

    Last month, I was stuck with urgent medical bills and had no support. Then I came across Elite Capital Group, a Financial Service Provider.

    The process was super fast and stress-free. I applied in the morning, and by afternoon, I received $2,000 directly into my account. They render varieties of financial services such as: Commercial Loan, Business Loan, Home Loan, Car Loan, Debt Consolidation Loan, Auto Loan, Student Loan, Line of Credit, Second Mortgage.

    No hidden charges, no stress — just smooth and reliable service. Because of them, I was able to settle my bills.

    If you need quick financial help, I strongly recommend Elite Capital Group. They are legit and dependable. You can contact them via email: elitegroupcapital@outlook.com WhatsApp: +14356097504

    Best regards,
    Becky, Announcer.

  2. How I got my husband back and saved my marriage.
    I can’t think of anything more painful or heartbreaking than hearing your husband say “I don’t love you anymore. Or “It’s over. I’m in love with someone else.”
    My name is Heather Delaney. I married the love of my life Riley on 10/02/15 and we now have two beautiful girls Abby & Erin, who are conjoined twins, that were born 07/24/16. My husband left me and moved to be with another woman. I felt my life was over and my kids thought they would never see their father again. I tried to be strong just for the kids but I could not control the pains that tormented my heart, my heart was filled with sorrows and pains because I was really in love with my husband. I have tried many options but he did not come back, until i met a friend that directed me to Dr. Excellent a spell caster, who helped me to bring back my husband after 11hours. Me and my husband are living happily together again, This man is powerful, contact Dr. Excellent if you are passing through any difficulty in life or having troubles in your marriage or relationship, he is capable of making things right for you. Here his contact. Call/WhatsApp him at: +2348084273514 "Or email him at: Excellentspellcaster@gmail. com

  3. Anonymous says:

    Powerful Love Spell to Fix Your Broken Marriage/Relationship.
    It is amazing how quickly Dr. Excellent brought my husband back to me. My name is Heather Delaney. I married the love of my life Riley on 10/02/15 and we now have two beautiful girls Abby & Erin, who are conjoined twins, that were born 07/24/16. My husband left me and moved to be with another woman. I felt my life was over and my kids thought they would never see their father again. I tried to be strong just for the kids but I could not control the pains that tormented my heart, my heart was filled with sorrows and pains because I was really in love with my husband. I have tried many options but he did not come back, until i met a friend that directed me to Dr. Excellent a spell caster, who helped me to bring back my husband after 11hours. Me and my husband are living happily together again, This man is powerful, contact Dr. Excellent if you are passing through any difficulty in life or having troubles in your marriage or relationship, he is capable of making things right for you. Don't miss out on the opportunity to work with the best spell caster. Here his contact. Call/WhatsApp him at: +2348084273514 "Or email him at: Excellentspellcaster@gmail.com

  4. Anonymous says:

    I can't express my gratitude to Dr Zuma for making me a living testimony. i have battled with HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS 2 for about 6years now, and i have done all i can to make sure i am cured but nothing worked out, but miraculously my friend invited me to see a video on his Blog and as i visited i decided to see few of the comment below, and i found some people talking about Dr Zuma, and i decided to contact this great herbal healer to also help me, so i wrote to him, and he replied me back and assure me that i will get a cure for my HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS 2. After preparing my medicine he sent it to me and when I started using it for 3weeks i was completely cured, I am a living testimony and assure anyone with the same illness that you can also be cured if you also contact this great man on his Email. spiritualherbalisthealing@gmail.com

  5. Anonymous says:

    RECOVER LOST CRYPTO INVESTMENT BY CONTACTING // GEO COORDINATES RECOVERY HACKER

    If you have invested your hard-earned crypto funds or money in some online Platform and now you can't withdraw OR they just disappeared with your crypto, it can be so frustrating and disheartening. However, there are steps you can take to increase your chances of recovering your funds from these unscrupulous individuals. One option you can consider is reaching out to GEO COORDINATES RECOVERY HACKER  , a reputable and reliable cryptocurrency recovery service that specializes in helping individuals recover lost or stolen cryptocurrencies. They made me believe that my case wasn't lost and that they would guide me through every step with their expertise. They remained in contact with me for a few days, providing me with reports that increasingly assuaged my anxiety and restored my dwindling hope. Their services are secure, confidential, and efficient, making them one of the best options for anyone in need of cryptocurrency recovery assistance. Get in touch with GEO COORDINATES RECOVERY HACKER via below contact details

    Email: geovcoordinateshacker@gmail.com

    Telegram @Geocoordinateshacker

    Website; https://geovcoordinateshac.wixsite.com/geo-coordinates-hack

  6. genuinejellyfishd1dfa7cfb6 says:

    I am sharing this testimony as a personal-belief story. In November 2022, I won the $2.04 billion Powerball lottery, an event that completely transformed my life. Before this happened, I sought spiritual guidance from Oniha Spells, who encouraged me to remain hopeful and focused. Afterward, I felt confident that something positive was coming. When I checked my ticket and saw that I had won, I was shocked and grateful. This experience taught me the importance of belief and never giving up.
    Email: droniha16@gmail.com
    CALL/Whatsapp number: +16692213962
    Website: onihaspells.com

  7. Anonymous says:

    WAYS TO RECOVER YOUR LOST BTC FROM A FAKE ONLINE BROKER.

    I was scammed by a fake Bitcoin investment company last month and lost about $750,000, which was my life savings. They promised guaranteed profits, denied my withdrawal requests, and eventually disappeared. I was completely devastated and didn’t know where to turn.
    A friend later referred me to SAFEGUARD RECOVERY EXPERT, and I reached out to them for help. They listened and guided me through the process.
    If you’ve experienced something similar and are looking for support, you can contact them here:
    WhatsApp: +44 7426 168300
    Email: safeguardbitcoin@consultant.com
    Website: safeguardbitcoin.wixsite.com/safeguard-bitcoin--1

  8. Anonymous says:

    Are you searching for a real spell caster ?
    It is amazing how quickly Dr. Excellent brought my husband back to me.
    My name is Heather Delaney. I married the love of my life Riley on 10/02/15 and we now have two beautiful girls Abby & Erin, who are conjoined twins, that were born 07/24/16. My husband left me and moved to be with another woman. I felt my life was over and my kids thought they would never see their father again. I tried to be strong just for the kids but I could not control the pains that tormented my heart, my heart was filled with sorrows and pains because I was really in love with my husband. I have tried many options but he did not come back, until i met a friend that directed me to Dr. Excellent a spell caster, who helped me to bring back my husband after 11hours. Me and my husband are living happily together again, This man is powerful, contact Dr.Excellent if you are passing through any difficulty in life or having troubles in your marriage or relationship, he is capable of making things right for you. Don't miss out on the opportunity to work with the best spell caster.
    Here his contact. Call/WhatsApp him at: +2348084273514 "
    Or email him at: Excellentspellcaster@gmail. com .

  9. Anonymous says:

    My name is Rachel Frye and I want to give this testimony in respect of Dr. Odunga who made me win $2 Million Dollars in the Lottery by matching the 5 numbers for me. I am happy to be out of financial debt and be able to help my family in this seasonal period of fun and cheer. I contacted Dr. Odunga through Whats-App (+2348167159012) when I told him to help me win the Mega Millions and He told me that it would be spiritually checked if I will win the Lottery. When he informed me that I will not be able to win the Jackpot but I will win a huge amount in the lottery I was not completely sad but had great faith in him. I live in Freeland, Saginaw County, Michigan and I would say it was pretty hard to send him the money for the spell before he gave me the winning numbers to play. He sent me the numbers and I played. The next morning after the drawing, I matched the five white balls in the Aug. 4 drawing to win $1 million: 11-30-45-52-56. Thanks to the Megaplier X2, my prize was multiplied to $2 million. Thank You Dr Odunga for this wonderful experience with you. You too can contact Dr. Odunga at his Whats-App +2348167159012 or Email: odungaspelltemple@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Author Spotlight

Libby Marsh

Libby Marsh
After years of story ideas, page designs and endless copy editing, senior Libby Marsh is eager for her fourth year of Harbinger as Head Print Editor and Head Copy Editor. Most days, you can find Libby in the backroom, eyes glued to her computer, designing while pestering Sophia again with AP style questions or another sidebar idea. However, Libby doesn’t live in room 400, and outside of the J-room, you’ll find her running with the cross country team, completing hours of homework from her other classes or rewatching “Gilmore Girls.” »

Our Latest Issue